Relief Valve Guide Pillar Segmentation for Water Outlet Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing relief valves for overload protection, designed for natural gas circuits, are not suitable for water circuits as they tend to block the outlet when opened and fail to provide adequate pressure for sealing, leading to inefficiencies and increased water waste.
Innovation Solution
A relief valve with a guide pillar, slidable sleeve, and elastic member that allows water to flow through multiple outlets, ensuring the sleeve moves upward to seal the outlet when pressure drops, concentrating force on a larger stress area for effective sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the valve mandrel is used with small overflow holes for pressure release, then the valve structure is simple, but the water pressure cannot be released effectively causing the valve mandrel to move upward and block the outlet
Solution Approach 1:
The valve body is segmented into multiple functional regions: a guide pillar with first water outlet for pressure release, and a second water outlet for normal water flow. The slidable sleeve is divided into a plug for sealing and a sliding wall for guiding. This segmentation allows independent optimization of pressure release and flow functions, preventing outlet blocking while maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide pillar acts as an intermediary structure between the switching member and the slidable sleeve. It provides a dedicated first water outlet that releases pressure before water reaches the slidable sleeve, preventing the sleeve from being forced upward to block the outlet. The guide pillar mediates the pressure management function separately from the flow control function.
2Force
If the valve mandrel concentrates stress on a small area, then the sealing force is sufficient for gas circuits, but the force is too weak to seal firmly in water circuits
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing mechanism transitions from a single-point contact (valve mandrel tip) to a distributed area contact (slidable sleeve plug). The plug seals against a sealing surface on the valve body, distributing the sealing force over a larger area. This dimensional change from point to surface contact provides sufficient sealing force for water circuits while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic member (spring) provides a counteracting force that presses the slidable sleeve downward onto the sealing surface. This elastic force compensates for the water pressure and ensures firm sealing contact between the plug and the valve body sealing surface, achieving reliable sealing in water circuits.
3Speed
If the slidable sleeve moves upward quickly to seal the outlet, then the response speed is fast, but the water pressure cannot be properly managed causing inadequate sealing
Solution Approach 1:
The first water outlet on the guide pillar provides preliminary pressure release before the slidable sleeve moves to seal the outlet. By releasing pressure through the first water outlet in advance, the system prevents excessive pressure buildup that would hinder effective sealing, ensuring the sleeve can move upward smoothly and seal reliably when needed.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The valve effectively prevents water waste and damage by ensuring the outlet is sealed when the connected pipe cracks, while maintaining normal water flow and pressure release functionality.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic member disposed on the shoulder in a pressing manner
Implementation Method 2
the pressure is mainly concentrated at the top of the valve mandrel with a relatively small area of stress... in normal water circuit, because of the relatively small area of stress, the force provided is relatively weak
Data Source
AI summary
A relief valve for overload protection includes a switching member disposed at the inlet, and a guide pillar in sealed connection with the switching member. The guide pillar is provided with a first water outlet and a second water outlet disposed in the direction of water flowing, and a slidable sleeve is disposed on an outer side of said guide pillar. When the water pipe connected to the outlet cracks, the water pressure at said outlet may drop, which leads to further movement of said slidable sleeve towards the outlet and cause the plug disposed on the top of said slidable sleeve to plug the outlet in a sealed manner, thus closing the outlet.